Three-dimensional puzzle

Abstract

A puzzle formed by splitting of a 3-D body by three pairs of symmetrical conical surfaces. The body has a hollow sphere inside with three main axes coincided with the axes of each pair. The elements are a result of splitting by the conical surfaces and comprise outer and inner junction means providing two adjacent elements sliding with respect to each other. There are three types of elements with orientation means: six polar, twelve median and eight triangular elements. The elements adjacent to one conical surface comprise key open means providing elements move apart. The goal of the three-dimensional puzzle is to put the body in right order by 90 degrees rotations of elements spaced from one side of conical surfaces, to the initial ordered orientation, where the body can be separated for two parts providing access to the space located inside the hollow sphere.

1. A nesting puzzle comprising:
 a compartment for holding at least one object or substance; 
 a plurality of first, second, and third tiles for enclosing the compartment, each tile having inner and outer faces and a plurality of sides, each side including a junction, the first tiles including only inner junctions, the second tiles including only outer junctions, and the third tiles including inner and outer junctions; 
 a plurality of rows individually rotatable in perpendicular directions to each other, each tile is included in two perpendicular rows; and 
 a plurality of said junctions on a first plurality of said tiles collectively forming a key, the first plurality of said tiles forming said key having modified outer junction lengths and inner junctions distinct from the outer junction lengths and inner junctions of the remainder of the junctions in the puzzle, 
 wherein when the junctions forming said key are all properly aligned by rotation into positions along two adjacent parallel rows, the junctions forming the key operate to attach or detach the tiles of the two adjacent parallel rows of the plurality of rows thereby splitting the puzzle into two sections to provide access to the compartment. 
 
     
     
       2. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the outer faces includes a shape that is varied to form a plurality of puzzle shapes. 
     
     
       3. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the plurality of rows is increased and decreased by adding or removing one or more pairs one or more pairs parallel rows, each pair including the first, second, and third tiles. 
     
     
       4. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein at least one outer face of the plurality of tiles includes a marker selected from one or more colors, one or more pictures, one or more letters, and one or more numbers. 
     
     
       5. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the inner faces includes a shape that is varied to form a plurality of compartment shapes. 
     
     
       6. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the compartment is a sphere having a radius longer than a length of any side of any tile of the plurality of tiles. 
     
     
       7. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein
 the outer junction is a ledge having a length and an Ω shaped cross section protruded along the side of the tile with a part of the cross section having an opening being connected to the tile, and 
 the inner junction is a groove having an opening width and a C shaped cross section spaced along the side of the tile with a part of the cross section opposite an opening being connected to the tile. 
 
     
     
       8. The puzzle of  claim 7 , wherein the junctions forming the key include ledges with reduced length and corresponding grooves with widened opening. 
     
     
       9. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein all the tiles within each tile chain can be brought back to their original position vis-à-vis their adjacent tiles by a series of 90 degree perpendicular rotations. 
     
     
       10. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein
 the rows include at least one center row and a plurality of peripheral rows individually rotatable in a first direction, 
 the sides include first sides aligned along the first direction and second sides aligned along a second direction, when the second sides of the center and peripheral rows are lined-up the tiles form a plurality of columns individually rotatable perpendicular to the first direction, and 
 the key enables the respective junctions on the sides of the tiles in adjacent parallel center and one or more peripheral rows to detach. 
 
     
     
       11. The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the outer junctions forming the key is reduced by about 30%. 
     
     
       12. A puzzle comprising:
 a compartment for holding one or more objects; 
 first and second sections for substantially enclosing the compartment, 
 the first and second sections comprising a plurality of first, second, and third tiles forming rows by attaching to preceding and following tiles, the tiles being individually rotatable in first and second perpendicular directions, all tiles having inner and outer faces and a plurality of sides, 
 the first and second tiles including opposite single sex junctions, and the third tiles including male and female junctions for connecting to opposite sex junction of the adjacent tiles, the male junction is a ledge having an Ω shaped cross section and a length and protruding along a side of the tile, the female junction is a groove having a C shaped cross section and an opening width spaced along the side of the tile; 
 a plurality of said junctions on a first plurality of said tiles collectively forming a key, the first plurality of said junctions forming said key having modified ledge lengths and grooves distinct from the ledge lengths and grooves of the remainder of the junctions in the puzzle, 
 wherein when the junctions forming said key are all properly aligned by rotation into positions along adjacent tiles of the first and second sections, the junctions forming the key operate to attach or detach the tiles of the adjacent tiles of the first and second sections of the plurality of rows thereby splitting the puzzle into two sections to provide access to the compartment. 
 
     
     
       13. The puzzle of  claim 12 , wherein each of the outer and inner faces of the plurality of tiles comprises one or more shapes. 
     
     
       14. The puzzle of  claim 13 , wherein the shapes of the outer and inner faces of the plurality of tiles are varied to form a puzzle shape and a compartment shape, and
 at least one outer face includes a marker selected from one of one or more colors, one or more pictures, one or more letters, and one or more numbers. 
 
     
     
       15. The puzzle of  claim 12 , wherein the number of the plurality of rows in the first and second sections is increased and decreased by adding or removing one or more pairs of parallel rows, each pair including the first, second, and third tiles. 
     
     
       16. The puzzle of  claim 14 , wherein the puzzle shape and the compartment shape are selected from one of a sphere and a cube.